Places that master

[AustinLandes]

I don't feel like i have the equipment or the knowledge to do a good job mastering, so i was wondering where some reputable places i could get an album mastered? just an affordable place, even if one of you guys could do it.

thanks again!

[paul999]

Well there are quite a few of us that could do a good job. I have never used someone else's "Professional mastering service" and most commonly master for clients that recorded with me. I you are interested in a quote you can P.M. me. There are quite a few places that advertise over the net but I would recommend going somewhere local after some research so you can shake their hands and here their past work.

Cheers.

[garageband]

Yessir: Toe-to-toe, man-to-man, firm handshake, lookin' 'em in the eye, cash on barrelhead... However, get a sample of their treatment of the best thing you've done (usually a two minute excerpt). Take it home and listen closely. If you hate it, keep looking until you find somebody's work you like.

[Cailyn]

There are a fair number of people advertising mastering on Craigslist these days in my area. One I know is bad based on his samples and ad: Pro Mastering $15 a track. Some of the better outfits will offer a money back guarantee. Find out what equipment they use, track record, experience and so on. You certainly don't want some guy doing it on a laptop in his basement. You can do that.

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Cailyn

There are a fair number of people advertising mastering on Craigslist these days in my area. One I know is bad based on his samples and ad: Pro Mastering $15 a track. Some of the better outfits will offer a money back guarantee. Find out what equipment they use, track record, experience and so on. You certainly don't want some guy doing it on a laptop in his basement. You can do that.

Agree with Cailyn. However, I suspect something mastering at $15 per track pretty much has the same type of tools you already have.... i.e., doing nothing more than applying a little EQ, Buss Compression, and Limiting using soft plugs. But if that's all you need, then go for it, but a lot of folks on this forum could do just as good of a job as the "$15" dudes.

For $50 to $100 per track you can hire an ME with the outboard gear (i.e., EQ, Comp, Limiter) that can do more than the basic EQ, Comp, and Lim. An ME I've used in the past had high-quality outboard gear and was able to do a better job smoothing out the mix via 0.25 step EQ increments, fixing clock errors, getting rid of some cracks/pops, etc, etc, etc.

[garageband]

a lot of folks on this forum could do just as good of a job as the "$15" dudes.

I have just about perfected the "jet blast" technique of mastering. It's really stupid but it works surprisingly well.

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by garageband

I have just about perfected the "jet blast" technique of mastering. It's really stupid but it works surprisingly well.

That's funny right there!